Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-01
we're out of the Wi:derness?" which was
taken up in turn by every regiment.
Gobblc, Gobbling. oobbled.

In the fall of 1864, while our regiment
lay in camp ct Lexington, KY, thirty Of us,
with Lieutenant Jones in command, were
detailed to go to Georgetown, KY, to guard
the polls against surprise and intimidation
by guerrillas.
We arrived the evening previous to cleo
ton day, and Immediately set about secur-
ing a place to encamp for the night. For
tune seemed to favor us: a large dwelling
house in the neighborhood had been vacated
that day, and our Lieutenant obtained per-
mission for us to quarter in it that night,
he TO be responsible for all damages accru-
furniture still remained in the house,
stove, with pots and kettles, chairs, tables,
and a couple of old straw ticks. But most
most astonishing of all was the fact that
the bic gentleman had not us yet removed
his livestock, which consisted of q large
fat pig, six or eight fine turkeys, and several
hives Of bees.
"Hold on, now, boys; you know what the
Lieutenant said, when he called us up
around him, before going to the hotel for
the night"
Ha, ha! Oh, yes, we remembered, He
said:
"Now, boys, don't gobble' any tonight;
you have plenty of r%ations; don't disturb
Suo IL" . plS VI tuIAovSs net b YOOO
Union man, aud very kind to let us into his
house Tonight"
Ha, ha! Oh, no, we didn't forget! But,
supper over, and there being, as l said, Just
two straw ticks in the house, we soon dis
covered that there were either not beds
enough to accommodate thirty of US, o,
else there were Just two too many.
1 had as good a right as he, and he rs I,
10 this all were agreed. We we're all right;
the mischief lay in the limited number OF
beds. What next? Well, resolving our
selves into a committee Of the whole, we
held a council of war, in which it wa
unanimously decided that we would "gobble'
that night instead of the turkeys, and
"gobble" we did. There were neithe,
sleepy eyes nor idle hands in or about the
old Kentucky home" Having decapitated
the turkeys and stripped them of theil
plumage; stabbed and dressed the occu-
pant of the stye in the highest style of the
art; pressed into service the stove an6
kettles for commissary duty without meet.
ing any resistance, we proceeded to charge
and capture the small army quartered il
the %bee-house. They were surprised, Of
course, but we found the plucky little
soldiers. sleeping on their arms,
and the industry with which they
used their bayonets that night would
have done credit to any veteran ~infantr,
brigade in the service. Victory in this
quarter was not so quietly or easily achieved
OF course we supped on nectar, but it wa.
a 1.-THE expense of swollen tongues, disfg.
ured faces, and enlarged limbs. By day
light each haversack was we'll supplied
with fresh meat and turkey, nicely cooked
and seasoned, ready for q forced march
The Lieutenant came from the hotel sool
after breakfast, and, looking arount
thoughtfully for a few moments over tn
battle-ground of the night previous, turne,
his gaze upon the SCARED and wounded
victors, with the facetious remark, "You fel
lows all have a wonderfully innocent ap
pearance this morning."
Pretty soon the elderly proprietor put il
his appearance, and was not at all slow il
grasping the situation. The Lieutenan
quietly told him to make q reasonable csti
mate of the damage done, and he woul
settle with him. After a few minutes care
full consideration, the old gentleman sal
sixty dollars would satisfy him. Our com
mander promptly cashed the bill: we vote
him a jolly, good fellow, and, hosting hir
to our shoulders, bore him around il
triumph. Nor was this all; we did not for
get his generosity after we returned t
camp, but on the next visit of the Paymas
ter We made the matter all right wit
Lieutenant Jones.-oseph Banks, IN Chi
cdgO Ledger.